There’s a reason for that: We’re seeking to expand our capacity to serve unemployed and underemployed people in Pierce County, and grow our ability to connect them with job training and employers so they can earn a family wage locally.

While overall unemployment is down and many describe the current economy as a job seekers’ market, Pierce County’s unemployment rate is still stubbornly stuck above 5 percent.

In May, almost 22,000 Pierce County residents who are able to work were unemployed, according to the monthly employment report. That represents an unemployment rate of 5.2 percent – above the statewide rate of 4.7 percent, and well above the national unemployment rate of 4 percent.

“Because we have such a higher unemployment rate than the U.S. and the state, we need to build capacity to be able to provide more services to more people,” said Linda Nguyen, CEO of WorkForce Central.

That means having the ability to serve more adults and dislocated workers – those who have recently been laid off or lost their job due to no fault of their own.

WorkForce Central currently contracts with ResCare to provide services to the business community and to youth and young adults, and contracts with Career Path Services to assist adults and dislocated workers.

WorkForce Central strengthens the Pierce County economy by identifying skill gaps between jobseekers and employment opportunities, fostering data-driven decision making, and connecting workforce development partners into a cohesive, collaborative and effective network.

New Requests for Proposals Reflect WorkForce Central’s Growing Role in Pierce County2018-07-232018-07-26/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/workforce-logo-colorrev_light.pngWorkForce Centralhttp://workforce-central.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/letterheadheader.jpg200px200px

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IS THE LAW: WorkForce Central is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Washington Relay Service: 711.